CllrBarrieHargrove

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment on this thread so far. As Southwark's cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, it's really useful for me to have this feedback. I'm pleased to see that many of you haven't noticed a reduction in cleanliness as a result in the changes to the service. I should point out that this wasn't a change we made lightly, but something that financially we had little choice over following unprecented cuts to our budgets by government. However, the changes have been a bit exaggerated by some, and actually the council is still litter picking every other day in addition to the monthly sweeping. We know how important tidy streets are to our residents and we regularly ask for feedback. Our latest survey shows that 93% of residents are satisfied with street cleaning in the borough (compared to the London average of 78%). Clearly we would like to get to 100% and so all your comments are really helpful. I'll speak to our contractor Veolia about the issue with the binmen and will ask our environment team to look at the other issues you've raised. You may also be pleased to hear that we're planning a series of 'dog poo' blitzes this summer to try to tackle this tricky and troubling problem. While I can't promise miracles, we will be out on the streets and in the parks trying to get all dog owners to take responsibility for their mess. You can report any street cleaning issues on our website at any time - www.southwark.gov.uk or call 020 7525 2000. If anyone wants to raise any issues with me personally, please email me at [email protected]